Easter Egg

Egg hunts are always popular with the little ones, and on the heels of its successful 'Breakfast With Santa' in December, the Lutherville-Timonium Recreation Council is sponsoring its first Easter egg hunt. The hunt is open to preschoolers through fifth-graders and will be held on the grounds of Ridgely Middle School Saturday, March 23, at 10:30 a.m. Should the weather not co-operate, the hunt will move into the gymnasium. Reservations are required and due March 15; consult the rec council's website at http://www.ltrc.org for registration forms and additional information.

A warm-up to seasonable early spring weather is in the forecast for this weekend, but rain could arrive for any egg hunts and picnics scheduled for Easter Sunday. Saturday is forecast to be a nice day to be outside, with highs around 60, calm winds and clear, sunny skies. Temperatures could stay as mild for Easter Sunday, as well, but any Easter egg hunts set for around midday or later could be wet. A 60 percent chance of showers is forecast from around noon into the evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The Optimist Club of Cockeysville will hold its 35th annual Easter egg hunt tomorrow at County Home Park. Registration is at 12:30 p.m., and the hunt begins at 1 p.m. for children ages 3 to 9. There will be prizes, gifts and candy.

The expansive lawn in front of the Sherwood Farm mansion at Cromwell Valley Park is usually deserted in March, although sometimes a cardinal or other winged visitors perch in shrubbery. That will change Saturday morning, March 30, when hundreds of children descend on the grounds for the 18th annual Easter egg hunt, seeking candy-filled plastic eggs or to show off paper-plate Easter bonnets they have made Youngsters and adults will also admire rabbits brought by 4-H Club members, dye hard-boiled eggs, greet the Easter Bunny and more.

Kelly Antoshak, 5, wrapped her arms around a pile of brightly colored plastic eggs on the floor and dropped them into a large wicker basket. Cora Harrison sat on a couch nearby making bows for the stuffed animals that would be awarded as prizes. And Jane Pessagno checked a small pile of eggs to be sure each contained a piece of chocolate candy. The group delighted in the task but had little time to admire - much less sample - their handiwork. There were thousands of plastic eggs to be filled and dozens of prizes to be prepared for the Easter Egg Hunt at Rockfield Manor in Bel Air. In its fifth year, the event has grown from a couple of hundred children to as many as 1,000, organizers say. They aren't the only ones hard at work preparing for this annual rite of spring.

Easter weekend is upon us, and an egg hunt is a great way for children to celebrate this holiday. Egg hunts are great to have right in your own backyard. But who says you can be a part of only one event? If you and your children feel like getting away from home, here are a few egg hunts taking place this weekend. Cromwell Valley Park A free Easter egg hunt will take place today in Cromwell Valley Park, on Sherwood Farm, 2002 Cromwell Bridge Road, Parkville. The egg hunts are divided by age. Ages 3-4 will go in search of their eggs at 10:30 a.m., followed by ages 5-6 at 10:45 a.m., ages 7-8 at 11 a.m. and ages 9-10 at 11:15 a.m. Other events include a jelly-bean-counting contest, 4-H Rabbit Club presentations and a chance to meet the Easter bunny.

ARCHBISHOP KEOUGH Council, Knights of Columbus will hold its annual Easter egg hunt from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the council home on Becknel Road in Odenton. Children 10 and under are invited. The Easter bunny will be appear. For additional information, call Bill Howerton at 410-674-0143.The council will hold its fourth monthly breakfast of the year from 8 a.m. to noon April 6. The menu will include orange juice, eggs or omelet, toast, ham, sausage, bacon, gravy on biscuit, pancakes, hash browns, coffee or tea. The cost is $4 for adults and $2 for children 6 to 12. Carol and Kevin Bailey will be honored as family of the month for their help at functions during the current administration.

Children ages 2 to 12 are invited to bring a basket and join in the fun at the third annual Easter Egg Hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday at Glen Burnie Park Elementary School, 500 Marlboro Road.Other scheduled activities include an egg roll, children's craft tables, and a jelly bean guessing contest. The event is sponsored by the Glen Burnie Park Civic Association. It is free for children of current members, 50 cents for children of nonmembers.The rain date is Sunday.Pre-registration is required. Please call 766-7676 or 768-2937.

HUNDREDS OF little Easter revelers gathered on the fields of Crofton Elementary School Saturday morning for Crofton Civic Association's annual Easter egg hunt. The hunt was scheduled for noon, but the children and their families gathered much earlier. By 11: 30 a.m., the lines were long. Winter caps were more common than Easter bonnets, but the atmosphere was festive, with the Easter bunny parading around, children running and all those eggs just waiting to be found.Finally, at noon, the horn sounded.

FILL your baskets with goodies at the Severna Park Jaycees annual Easter Egg Hunt from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Jaycee community center in Kinder Park.The event is free, but a donation to the Jaycees for their many civic projects would be appropriate, President Eric Jorgenson said.Information: 987-5069.Holy Week servicesOur neighborhood churches have scheduled an entire week of Holy Week activities, beginning Sunday.Ministers from the Severna Park Ministry Group will lead the community's Ecumenical Good Friday Service from noon to 3 p.m. April 5 at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Group meeting A support group for families and friends of persons suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at the Ellicott City Senior Center, 9401 Frederick Road. Information: 410-313-1400. Holy Week services Bethany United Methodist Church, 2875 Bethany Lane, holds services at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, March 28-29; 10 a.m. Saturday, March 30; and 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 31. Information: 410-465-2919. Easter egg hunt Harvester Baptist Church will conduct an Easter egg hunt beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 30, at 9605 Old Annapolis Road.

Choir concert The Howard County Interfaith Choir performs at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 24, in the Retreat and Conference Center at Bon Secours Spiritual Center, 1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville. A reception follows. Free admission, however, a free-will offering will be asked. Information: 410-442-1320. Easter egg hunt Gethsemane Baptist Church holds its annual Easter egg hunt for children up to fifth grade beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 31, 14135 Burntwoods Road in Glenwood.

Egg hunts are always popular with the little ones, and on the heels of its successful 'Breakfast With Santa' in December, the Lutherville-Timonium Recreation Council is sponsoring its first Easter egg hunt. The hunt is open to preschoolers through fifth-graders and will be held on the grounds of Ridgely Middle School Saturday, March 23, at 10:30 a.m. Should the weather not co-operate, the hunt will move into the gymnasium. Reservations are required and due March 15; consult the rec council's website at http://www.ltrc.org for registration forms and additional information.

Montrease Lamback of Gwynn Oak stood on the sidelines and snapped photos as her 2-year-old son, Tyler, slipped plastic Easter eggs into his green felt basket. The eggs secured, Tyler pulled them back out, tossed some on the ground, handed a few to other children and then stopped midhunt to admire what remained of his colorful collection. The adventure for Tyler and hundreds of other children Saturday was part of the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore 's annual Bunny Bonanzoo.

Easter baskets in hand, or whatever they had to hold their eggs, hundreds of children lined up in Tydings Park Saturday for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Sponsored by Havre de Grace Parks and Recreation, the hunt kicks off promptly at noon. The small plastic colored eggs are "hidden" throughout the park, some easy to find, some a little more obscure. Some dressed in their Easter best, children of all ages from all over Harford County and beyond scramble about to collect as many eggs as the can. Then the "hunt" is over almost as soon as it starts.

Our Savior Lutheran Church is hosting a communitywide Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to noon at 13611 Laurel Bowie Road. 301-776-7670.

Gray skies, still-bare trees and aged tombstones would suggest a scene to inspire the pen of Stephen King and not the playful shenanigans of the Easter Bunny.But guess who showed up at Loudon Park Cemetery yesterday?The Easter Bunny and some 300 candy-loving youngsters, who took part in the cemetery's first egg hunt -- part of Loudon Park's efforts to show the neighborhood and the city that the family-owned and -operated graveyard "has a heart.""Our reason for doing this is to be a part of the community," said Marie Loewer-Nave, director of family services at the cemetery.

Baltimoreans took advantage of yesterday's clear skies and near-70s temperature in the usual ways: yard work, pickup basketball games and afternoon jogs. There also was an activity perfect for the season as about 200 area children spent part of their day scrambling for Easter eggs at the Baltimore Conservatory in Druid Hill Park. The fourth annual Spring Open House and Easter Egg Hunt - sponsored by the Horticultural Division of the city Department of Recreation and Parks and the Baltimore Conservatory Association - was a big hit for youngsters.

One thing about the weather: We haven't figured out how to control it, so you never know what's going to be emanating from the heavens on any given holiday. Easter's no exception. We've turned blue (nearly) in Massachusetts in our new bonnets, light jackets and patent leather shoes. We've stripped down to shorts and tank tops to gather melted, ant-infested chocolate eggs in Florida. Thankfully, Easter in Maryland tends to offer weather most of us can handle. Cool enough to get the kids into Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes (even if they're not totally frou-frou dresses or cute little suits)

Area churches, community centers, clubs and others, in Baltimore county and city are sponsoring egg hunts and Easter-related activities for children, offering plenty of opportunities to hop on over to one near you. Arbutus Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Violetville United Methodist Church, 3648 Coolidge Ave., Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Eggstra" special fare, bake sale and carryout items. 410-525-3191. Lansdowne Easter Bunny Breakfast, Lansdowne Volunteer Fire Department, 140 Laverne Ave. Pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, coffee, tea, juice and hot chocolate.